High energy batteries and methods of making the same

A battery, comprising:

• an electrolyte, the electrolyte including an electrolytic solvent;
• a cathode that is in contact with the electrolyte, the cathode including a first cathode active material in contact with a second cathode active material, wherein the first cathode active material includes a metal oxide and the second cathode active material includes a metal compound;
• the metal compound has an empirical formula of MaRb or MRx, wherein
• each of a, b, and x are independently positive nonzero real numbers;
• each M is a metal that is selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, vanadium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, and aluminum;
• and
• each R moiety independently has an oxidation state of −1, −2, or −3;
• where each R is independently an inorganic moiety selected from hydride, halide, oxide, hydroxide, chlorate, sulfide, sulfate, metaborate, thiocyanate, amide, nitride, and azide;
• or an organic moiety having 1-6 carbons that optionally includes one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, sulfur, phosphorous, and boron;
• each the metal oxide independently has an empirical formula of M′xOy, wherein
• M′ is a metal that is independently selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, vanadium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, and aluminum;
• and
• x and y are independently positive nonzero real numbers;
• wherein a ratio of the solubility of the first cathode active material in the electrolytic solvent to the solubility of the second cathode active material in the electrolytic solvent is less than 0.5.